His Authorship

My dear Children, — My authorship is too important an article in my little history to be overlooked. I had early, too early, published several single sermons; but they neither excited nor deserved much notice. I have not, therefore, perpetuated them in the list of my works. But having delivered a discourse on The Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives, at the nuptials of a gentleman who married his lady immediately from my house, I was importuned to publish it. It rapidly went through six large editions, and was not a little commended in several of the periodicals of the day, and by Mr. Hall from the pulpit. This encouraged me soon after to venture before the public a volume of sermons on various subjects. This also was favourably received, and was spoken well of even by the “Monthly Review, then a work of much authority.* Not long after this I published a second volume, with similar acceptance and success. I should, perhaps, now deem some of these sermons not sufficiently evangelical; but I then expected them to be read principally by those who were already acquainted with the doctrines of the Gospel, and some of whom were more familiar with doctrinal than practical theology. It was also at the same

* An extract from this Keview will be found in our notice of Mr. Jay’s Authorship. time my intention to add a third volume, containing subjects of a more doctrinal character.

I next published, in succession, four volumes of “Short Discourses for the Use of Families. ‘^ These, too, were kindly received, and went through repeated editions, and procured for me a diploma of D.D., — a dignity I never used, except once in travelling, when I left a case of manuscripts at a large inn, the better to ensure attention to the recovery; and it answered my purpose. Who, then, can deny the usefulness of such honours? I also sent forth two works of a biographical kind:” The Life of Rev. Cornelius Winter,” and” Memoirs of Rev. John Clarke.’’ The first of these sold well; the sale of the second was slow and limited; yet it occasioned me more pains than any other of my publications; and in America they have published extensively my remarks and observations, detached from the narrative itself, furnished by the Diary of the deceased.

I also published two volumes of ‘^ Morning Exercises for the Closet,” which soon reached a tenth edition; and, three years after, I yielded to importunity, and produced two more volumes of similar exercises for the “Evening.” I cannot but hope, from the wide circulation of these ^’ Exercises,” and the testimonies I have received from so many quarters, that they have been owned of God, and will continue to be useful after my decease.

Between the Morning and Evening Exercises, I preached and published a work, called ‘’The Christian Contemplated,” in twelve lectures. To these I afterwards, by desire, and as a kind of application of the whole, added another lecture, from the words, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” This work also sold rapidly, and has now reached the eighth edition.

But the work which has had the largest sale, next to the Morning and Evening Exercises, and is still in demand, is, “The Domestic Minister’s Assistant.” It consists of morning and evening prayers for six weeks,, with additional ones for particular seasons and occasions. Some of my bretkren were rather disposed to be displeased with this publication, and accused me of aiding what they called the cause of formality; but I bless God that I ever was led to undertake it. I only herein followed the example of some very eminent ministers of our own body, such as Baxter, Henry, and Watts, &c. And are we not commanded, ‘’as we have opportunity, to do good unto all men?” Is there no difference between preference and exclusiveness? Is the assistance of the weak any injury to the strong? There are persons who pray spiritually with a form; and there are persons that pray very formally without a form.

The smaller publications were, “An Essay on Marriage,” “A Charge to a Minister’s Wife,” “A Preface to Mrs. Savage’s Memoirs,” some Funeral Orations, with a large number of single Sermons, preached on particular occasions. I also published an Appendix of Hymns, but the contents are principally selections from other authors; and I am only answerable for about twenty new composures, and some introductory remarks on psalmody. I have not mentioned all the publications in the order of time in which they appeared; but this could easily be ascertained by their dates, were it of any importance.

There has been no complete edition of these works in England till that which is now forthcoming; but a very handsome one was published some years ago at Baltimore, in America; and there have been several since; for there God has much smiled upon my labours.

Many of my publications, especially the principal ones, were begun, or completed, or much advanced, when I was taking an annual excursion by the sea-side, and had a little more leisure than necessary relaxation and occasional preaching at those seasons required. I have given some account of this in the preface to the last volume of the Morning and Evening Exercises.

I have not been able to do justice to any of these works, or even to the degree of my comparative ability, for want of more time and abstraction, in composing and revising, than could be obtained from a large congregation, four services a week at home, and numerous calls to preach on special occasions abroad. I have rarely been at liberty to transcribe, and have frequently written from short and imperfect notes, to supply the immediate demands of the printer. I do not mention this to boast anything like great readiness in composition, or to justify haste where it could be avoided; but to intimate that among engagements and interruptions I did what I was able. At an earlier period I might, perhaps, have pleaded this, to soften, if not to disarm, critical censure; but my advanced years remind me that I ought to think only of the approbation of God, regardless of being “judged of man’s judgment.^^

Since the Lord has so favourably disposed the public mind to receive my writings, notwithstanding their defects, I need not lament that 1 have published so much, as it enables me to do a little good in many places at the same time, and may lengthen a degree of usefulness beyond natural life. I hope it makes me humble rather than proud, (I am sure it ought,) to think how many, in particular, I am continually attending in their most sacred moments of retirement, and aiding at the family aitar, as well as helping in their general religious concerns.

I am also thankful, that though a man’s writings will always have a tinge of his own opinions, I have published nothing that can fairly or justly give offence to any religious parties among those who “hold the Head.” Let a man, if he please, state and defend his own peculiar views in a work of itself, and professing its own purpose; but I always disliked the smuggling of particular sentiments into a subject designed and adapted to general usefulness.

I do not consider my Sermon on the Reformation as an exception to this remark. The occasion was singular, and allowed and required me to speak freely. If any suppose that because I conceded to the Catholics their civil rights, I was too candid towards the doctrines and superstitions of Popery, they have but to peruse the Sermon to see that they were mistaken. If any members of the Established Church were offended, it was only those who did not hear the Sermon, but only heard of it, in connexion with a gross misrepresentation, which ignorance reported and bigotry spread, and which was soon rectified by public denials. These denials, however, the author never called for, having always followed an advice early given him by a very wise and good man, viz., never to notice anything said of him in newspapers and periodicals. There were witnesses enough in the numbers that attended the discourse who could vouch for his innocency of the charges which were maliciously and eagerly circulated. The libel was, that he affirmed the only difference between the Church of Rome and the Church of England was the same as between a toad and a tadpole. The preacher was applying this coarse image to another subject; the liars transferred it to this. It was also an Episcopalian and not a member of his own congregation who drew up the application for him to publish the sermon. One thiag said gave offence to some, who have since seen it abundantly explained and exemplified — The Popery of Protestantism. How truly and forcibly has Dr. Chalmers enlarged on this!

I am, &c.